According to Reuters, shares in EA jumped over than 4 per cent to $19.36 today on as the chatter spread.

"There's talk that Microsoft might be interested in acquiring Electronic Arts. It's unsubstantiated chatter, but it's out there," the wire site quotes Frederic Ruffy, options strategist at WhatsTrading.com, based in New York, as saying.

Reuters added that 'a London-based trader also cited similar talk as making rounds in Europe'.